The invention pertains to vent covers for gas pressure regulators.
Gas pressure regulators, such as used to regulate, and reduce, the gas pressure of natural gas, or liquid petroleum gas, received from a relatively high pressure supply must be vented. The venting occurs on the side of the pressure regulating diaphragm not exposed to the gas, and the venting is necessary to allow the diaphragm to move freely without causing a vacuum or pressure condition within the vented cavity as well as allowing an escape for gas that would be released from the relief valve in case an over pressure condition was obtained at the outlet of the regulator. The venting of gas pressure regulators has taken a number of forms, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,937,658; 2,968,314 and 3,747,629 disclose various types of venting arrangements.
With gas pressure regulators mounted so as to be directly exposed to the weather, such as regulators commonly used with liquified petroleum gas supply tanks, there is the possibility that the regulator vent may become obstructed by foreign matter, dirt, water or ice so as to render the venting inoperative producing a potentially dangerous situation.
Regulators for liquified petroleum tanks, particularly when used with recreational vehicles, may be mounted in a variety of positions. Depending on the location of the supply tank, and the supply conduits to the vehicle gas users, the regulator inlet and outlet ports are positioned so as to best accommodate the particular situation, and when the regulator vent position is determined by the regulator manufacturer, it is very possible that the vent, when the regulator is installed, will be positioned in such a manner as to be susceptible to obstruction by dirt, rain, or ice accumulating on the regulator.
To require that the regulator be mounted in a particular orientation which best protects a pre-positioned vent is objectionable as such requirement unduly limits the mode of installation of the regulator, and clearance conditions often dictate the manner in which the regulator has to be mounted.
Current safety regulations require that gas regulators exposed to the weather be capable of functioning under all weather conditions, even heavy icing conditions, and present venting practices, and devices, do not permit the desired versatility of regulator mounting, particularly in the recreational vehicle art utilizing liquified petroleum gas.